Creep is a great example of a simple premise still providing intrigue and tension in a genre often filled with too much nonsensical fodder. It doesn’t have to be groundbreaking to be engaging and Creep is as to the point as it gets. A man, a serial killer has his process and we are now witnessing that process in action. While it’s not exactly point A to point B in a straight line the overall idea is just that. And I would say this is part of its genius, the simplicity of it all. This is a character driven horror hybrid that is equal parts funny and horrific but also provides this weird, uncomfortable, dare I say creepy amalgam of comedic moments that leave you laughing but with a fair amount of disgust and discomfort. You’re laughing but why exactly, this guy is fucked in the head. What does this say about me I wonder? His demeanor is creepy and permeates throughout the film seeping into every orifice with gleeful trepidation.
This is the psychopath’s equivalent of watching the fishing channel. It’s a man using his tools and know how to lure in his next “catch” and for some reason this appeals to certain people. That kind of sounds like I’m calling fishing enthusiasts murderous nutjobs… hhmm interesting. Anyway…
My personal introduction to this indie horror gem was completely unexpected. I had just finished watching the first season of The Duplass Bros. HBO series Togetherness and was already a big fan of Mark Duplass as Pete from The League and so I wanted to check out all of their work, I’m a fan what can I say? This led me to one of their earliest features titled innocently enough The Puffy Chair. It’s a simple but easily digestible story about family and relationships. I was already infatuated with The One I Love starring Mark (check this movie out right now, it will blow your mind hole) and so as my Duplass bender carried on I came across a horror movie featuring Mark with a meager running time of one hour and seventeen minutes. I pressed play and Creep began. I went from stories of puffy chairs to lonely serial killers. It was a hard left turn to say the least.
Creep is the found footage (automatic eye-roll. Trust me I get it.) film about a man hired for a day of recording an eccentric loner who has revealed he is in fact dying of cancer and wishes to leave behind something for his unborn son arriving in the coming months. As the day slogs on the behavior of this cancerous man begins to delve into someone you would never want to be alone with, especially alone in the woods. What transpires takes this freelance videographer from a place of discomfort to a place of pure terror and paranoia. This is a showcase of Creep being the title and Mark Duplass leaving no doubt as to who that is. He is odd, unpredictable, possibly bipolar, and as we learn, murderous.
Why I am writing about this? Cause I’m bored but that’s beside the point. Honestly this is one of those films that slipped through the cracks. If you love little indie oddities that shouldn’t work but somehow do Creep is a film for you. And the best part is as I mentioned it’s a short watch so the commitment level is low. It’s got Duplass ingenuity with a heaping of low budget charm and lots of what makes horror such a fun genre. And now, my review for Creep 2. That’s right, there’s two of them… with a third on the way.
Rated R For: brief violence and language
Runtime: 77 minutes
After Credits Scene: No
Genre: Horror, Thriller
Starring: Mark Duplass, Patrick Brice
Directed By: Patrick Brice
Out of 5 Nerdskulls
Story: 3.5/ Acting: 4/ Directing: 3.5/ Visuals: 3.5
OVERALL: 4 Nerdskulls
Buy to Own: Yes
Check out the trailer below:
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